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Sharks  GoheWoodi 


H  pilgrim  ?ew 


H  flMlgrim  Jew 

H  IRomance  t>$  Charles  Cofte  Woofcs 


Boston:  IRicbarfc  0.  Babger 
TLbc  (Sorbam  press,  1003 


Copyright  ipoj  by  Charles  Coke  Woods 
All  Rights  Reserved 


PRINTED   AT  THE  GORHAM  PRESS,   BOSTON 


INSCRIBED  WITH  LOVE  TO 

The  Rev.  William  James  Martindale,  D.  D, 


a  flMlQrim  Jew 

i 

Athwart  a  mystic,  many-stringed  harp 

A  spirit  sweeps  his  magic  hand,  and  sounds 

Escape  as  wild  and  weird  as  any  song 

That  pagan  priest  or  sibyl  ever  sang ; 

That  harp  so  strange  and  many  cycles  old, 

Doth  yield  sweet  strains  of  joy  and  sobs  of  woe ; 

From  year  to  year  the  spirit  thrums  the  chords 

All  palpitant  with  life,  nor  ever  sleeps, 

Nor  does  he  weary  grow  with  ceaseless  toil ; 

High  souls  athrob  with  holy  life  do  hear 

The  notes  from  far  away,  and  clearly  see 

That  He  who  smites  the  harp  God's  angel  is, 

And  that  the  instrument  is  human  life. 


8  A    PILGRIM   JEW 

II 

I  stood  once  in  the  far-off  Orient, 
At  close  of  garish  day  and  bowed  my  soul 
Before  the  God  of  life  to  think  and  pray  ; 
The  sky  broke  into  astral  bloom,  and  winds 
Played  * '  Hide  and  Seek ' '  among  the  dewy  leaves, 
Disporting  gaily  with  the  grass  and  flowers, 
And  fondly  toying  ebon  locks  that  wreathed 
An  infant  sleeper's  face,  aglow  with  smiles ; 
And  thus  I  came  upon  the  sleeping  child 
Who  woke  and  grew  puissant  with  the  years. 


A    PILGRIM   JEW_ s 

III 

When,  swifter  than  the  shuttles  fly,  time  brought 
To  man's  estate,  this  child  of  destiny, 
I  saw  him  boldly  stride  away  with  staff 
In  hand  for  distant  lands  across  the  sea  ; 
The  gladd'ning  glow  of  Oriental  skies 
Flings  crimson  on  his  smooth  and  swarthy  cheek, 
And,  as  the  withered  fields  drink  rain,  his  eyes 
Drink  splendor  in ;  —  such  is  the  Pilgrim  Jew. 
His  quest  is  for  the  things  that  others  seek,  — 
The  things  for  which  most  men  do  live  and  die ; 
He  seeks  to  find  the  Holy  Grail  of  joy, 
And  drink  from  fountains  that  will  satisfy 
The  body's  thirst,  and  slake  the  thirst  of  soul. 
The  genius  of  his  race  flows  in  his  veins 
Today.    Like  eagles  lithe  and  strong  of  wing, 
God  made  the  Jewish  race  to  front  the  storm. 


io  A    PILGRIM  JEW 

IV 

The  Jew  is  still  the  wonder  of  the  age ; 
Within  the  fabric  of  the  world's  close  mesh, 
And  with  the  mystic  warp  and  woof  of  life; 
Like  wizard  has  this  man  his  fiber  wrought, 
And  spun  the  thread  from  his  own  sturdy  soul, 
And  subtile  mind ;  thro'  civic  life  doth  run 
The  current  of  his  blood,  and  hist'ry's  page, 
In  every  new  and  every  ancient  land, 
Doth  hold  the  fadeless,  fixed,  Semitic  stamp. 
Compeer  of  pioneers  in  Art,  State  craft, 
And  in  the  musty  lore  of  Science  old 
His  strong  and  world-enlight'ning  thoughts  still 

reign  ; 
The  Hebrew  is  the  Phoenix  of  the  race ; 
From  out  the  ashes  of  his  life  consumed, 
He  boldly  rises,  and  a  victor  goes 


A   PILGRIM    JEW ir 

To  mew  his  youth  when  all  men  think  him  dead, 

And  shoots  forth,  javelin-like  his  mighty  thought ; 

He  stands  aloof,  yet  penetrates  the  mass, 

Distinct,  persistently  his  potent  self ; 

His  ethnic  immortality  astounds 

The  world,  but  Israel's  God  works  His  high  will. 


i2  A    PILGRIM    JEW 


Of  flawless  life  let  not  the  Gentile  prate, 

Till  he  has  swept  away  from  his  door-step 

A  thousand  sins  that  blight  and  blind  his  race ;  — 

Proud  healer,  wouldst  thou  heal  the  Jew  ?  then  let 

The  Jew's  Jehovah  heal  sin's  wound  in  thee. 

The  critic's  charge  would  fly  like  boomerang 

Flung  swiftly  from  the  savage  hunter's  hand, 

To  smite  upon  the  guilty  breast  of  him 

Who  brings  the  charge  of  crime,  did  he  but  see 

As  far  within  the  secrets  of  his  life 

As  he  would  have  his  erring  brother  think 

The  critic's  eye  can  surely  see  in  Jews. 


A    PILGRIM   JEW if 

VI 

If  trees  are  known  by  kinds  of  fruits  they  bear, 
Then  know  the  Jewish  trunk  by  that  which  loads 
Its  boughs.    Good  trees  cannot  bear  evil  fruit, 
Nor  evil  trees  bear  that  which  wholesome  is; 
"  The  father  of  the  faithful  seed  "  was  sprung 
From  Jewish  tree,  as  was  the  meekest  man 
On  earth,  who  climbed  the  mount  and  talked  with 

God; 
One  brightest  star  of  woman's  world  was  sprung 
From  Hebrew  stock — the  noble  Esther,  queen  ; 
An  ancient  bard  his  lyre  smote,  till  flowed 
From  throbbing  chords  rare  melody  of  song, 
Thro'  lengthened  years, 'mid  sobs  and  sighs  of  woe, 
Or  ringing  notes  of  Great  Messiah's  reign  ; 
The  singer  of  the  Jews  whose  matchless  strains 
Float  down  the  tide  of  ever-flowing  years, 


i4  A    PILGRIM    JEW 


Has  sung  the  messages  of  highest  heaven 
To  soothe  the  aching  hearts  of  dying  men ; 
And  when  in  battle's  front,  for  truth  and  right, 
Strong  soldiers  have  lost  heart,  and  ready  were 
To  quit  the  field,  again  he  smote  his  harp, 
When  swooning  hope  revived  in  victory ; 
In  silence  sad  his  tongue  would  closely  cleave 
To  palate  of  his  unreplying  mouth, 
And  naught  of  skill  his  strong  right  arm  would 

know, 
Did  he  forget  his  dear  Jerusalem. 
Amid  devouring  flames  walked  forth  three  men 
Whose  hero-hearts  beat  high  with  Hebrew  blood ; 
So  true  were  they  that  God  an  angel  sent 
Thro'  rifted  sky,  to  hold  the  hot  hell-hounds 
At  bay  with  might  of  heaven's  mastery. 
Behold  the  hero  of  the  Sanhedrim ; 


A    PILGRIM    JEW  15 


The  gathered  might  of  many  men  did  dwell 
In  him  who  fought  the  beasts  at  Ephesus ; 
His  grasp  held  firm  the  helm  of  God's  young 

church, 
And  when  at  last  the  angry  gleaming  sword 
Leaped  swiftly  from  the  sheath  to  drink  his  blood, 
The  opening  heav'ns  disclosed  to  him  a  crown, 
And  angels  bore  him  to  his  lofty  throne. 
The  stuff  that  God  makes  manhood  of  is  spun, 
Not  from  the  robes  of  kings,  nor  regal  crowns, 
But  from  the  drapery  of  truth  and  light, 
Fresh  wove  in  heav'n  ;  —nor  high,  nor  low,  nor 

rich, 
Nor  poor,  nor  Gentile,  nor  the  Jew  can  claim 
Monopoly  on  wealth  of  character. 


i6 A    PILGRIM    JEW 

VII 

As  touching  crimes  that  guilty  Jews  have  wrought 

Some  others'  hands  are  crimson  dyed  with  gore ; 

For  sin  is  sin,  in  Gentile,  Jew  or  bond, 

Or  Scythian,  or  free,  —  the  kind  is  one. 

Who  knows  but  Gentile  would  have  wrought  the 

crime 
That  Judas  did,  had  Gentile  felt  the  gyves 
That  traitor  thralled,  as  captive  slave  of  hell  ? 
The  scorpion  of  dire  remorse  did  sting 
The  writhing  soul  of  that  despairing  man, 
And  this,  I  ween,  would  be  his  plaint,  could  tongue 
Give  speech  to  mortal  anguish  and  despair :  — 
"My  soul  has  run  the  grim  gauntlet  of  grief 
To  find  more  woe,  unsoothed  by  help  or  hope ; 
The  deed  I've  done,  none  can  undo,  nor  change 
The  act  that  seals  my  double  doom.    Remorse 


A    PILGRIM    JEW  17 

Thrusts  me  with  hell-tipped  spears  of  agony  ; 
The  lust  for  gold  my  spirit  starved,  and  darkened 
Life's  brief  day  with  rayless  gloom  ;  —  the  sky 
That  over-domed  me  once  with  friendly  glow 
Of  sun,  or  moon,  or  stars,  now  covers  me 
With  deep'ning  night  no  light  shall  ever  break ; 
When  my  lips  kissed  the  face  of  Him,  my  Friend, 
Who  went  the  length  of  love  to  rescue  me, 
He  spake,  and  asked,  '  Dost  thou  betray  thy  Lord, 
And  with  a  traitor's  kiss  ?  '    His  look  slew  me,  — 
It  was  the  lonely  look  of  outraged  love  ; 
Alas,  the  kiss  I  gave  that  sweet-souled  man, 
'Twas  false,  and  filled  my  soul  with  wordless  woe. 
Oh,  if  those  eyes  on  me  once  more  could  look, 
If  his  own  voice  o'erfull  with  love's  pure  rhythm 
Could  call  once  more  with  matchless  melody,  — 
Call  back  to  me  the  sweet  repose  of  youth, 
And  innocence  again,  —  life's  holy  morn ;  — 
And  if  his  lips  so  heaven-clean  could  kiss 
This  burning  sin  from  off  my  soul,  —to  me 
That  kiss  were  bliss  as  sweet  as  angels  know." 


18  A    PILGRIM    JEW 

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmammmm 

VIII 

The  whole  wide  world  is  debtor  to  the  Jew  ; 

Had  not  a  Jew,  heroic,  strong,  and  sent 

Of  Heaven,  and  faithful  to  His  mission 

Left  His  high  throne  to  drink  our  cup  of  woe, 

We  had  not  found  the  long  way  back  to  God. 

O'er  all  the  world  hung  darkest  night,  and  man, 

In  dire  distress  and  pain,  aloud  did  cry 

For  light  to  shine  away  the  deep'ning  gloom  ; 

On  high  the  pleading  call  was  heard,  and  Jove 

Threw  splendor  on  the  ebon  sky,  and  hung 

A  stellar  flame  above  the  holy  couch 

Of  that  sweet  Babe  Divine  whose  life  should  live 

In  human  flesh,  and  who  should  die  the  death 

Of  man,  and  yet  whose  life  should  deathless  be,  — 

The  one  exhaustless  fount  of  life  to  men  ; 

And  swift  He  grew  to  be  a  high-souled  man, 


A    PILGRIM    JEW  19 


BHSaaMHaHHHnaBBBHHnHHHHBMMnHHMHBl 


Clean-handed,  heaven-true,  and  one  with  God  ; 
A  brother  to  the  sons  of  men,  enclothed 
With  mortal  flesh,  God's  life  in  humankind  ; 
He  came  in  closest  touch  with  earthly  pain, 
His  guileless  lips  with  eager  love  did  drink, 
And  drain  to  utmost  depths  the  chalices 
Of  earthly  states,  all  over-full  with  woe ; 
The  common  folk  heard  Him  with  bounding  joy, 
And  drank  sweet  solace  from  His  sinless  lips ; 
False  men  heard  his  true  speech  and  awe-struck 

stood 
Before  the  matchless  splendor  of  His  life ; 
Thus  from  a  soul  sick  unto  death,  He  spake 
The  messages  of  life  and  peace  to  all ; 
A  homeless  wanderer,  and  spent  with  toil, 
In  weariness  that  never  found  a  name, 
He  pleaded  with  a  weary  world  to  find 


2o  A    PILGRIM    JEW 


Repose  upon  his  grief-enravished  heart ; 
Dost  think  thy  chalice  bitter,  friend  ?    No  dregs 
Of  sorrow's  cup  instilled  by  earthly  pain 
Have  touched  thy  mortal  lips,  like  those  that  pressed 
The  lips  of  Christ  on  Calv'ry's  brow  that  day, 
When  rocks  were  rent,  and  earthly  hopes  all  died, 
And  frowning  clouds  shut  out  the  smile  of  heav'n— 
When  God's  own  face  obscured  from  view,  en- 
hanced 
The  woe  of  Him  who  bore  the  woes  of  men. 


A    PILGRIM    JEW  21 


IX 


But  whither  went  the  wayfarer  we  saw 

With  staff  in  hand  come  from  the  distant  land, 

Gray  Orient,  to  youthful  Occident  ? 

Acclimated  is  he-,  but  Hebrew  bides  ; 

As  sweet  as  breath  of  morn  in  fragrant  spring, 

And  full  of  melting  melody  as  are 

The  songs  of  happy  birds  at  summer's  dawn, 

Is  this  sojourner's  love  for  kith  and  kin ; 

The  spendthrift  splendor  of  the  mid-day  sun 

Were  but  the  shade  of  night  to  him,  should  die 

That  love  which  in  his  breast  is  quenchless  flame  ; 

Along  the  rural  lanes  he  wends  his  way 

Thro'  honey-scented  winds  from  smiling  fields, 

And  orchards  sweet,  and  gardens  all  abloom  ; 

He  goes  in  search  of  some  congenial  toil, 

In  village,  or  in  fevered  city  life  ; 


22 A    PILGRIM    JEW 

Beneath  the  spreading  trees  he  met  one  day, 
At  noon,  by  cooling  springs,  a  Gentile  friend  ; 
And  when  in  fountains  from  the  hills  they  laved 
With  healing  balm  their  travel-blistered  feet, 
And  quaffed,  each  one  the  crystal  draught  of  health, 
Hand  clasped  in  hand,  fast  friends  they  pledged  to 

be; 
In  this  league-love,  arm-locked  they  went  their 

way 
Across  the  dale,  to  find  Jehovah's  seat; 
And  having  reached  the  temple  door,  it  swung 
Full  wide,  and  both  went  in  the  fane  to  pray  ; 
The  Jew  and  Gentile  prayed,  and  thus  began, 
As  one:  — "Our  Father,  God  who  art  in  Heav'n:  " 
The  closing  hymn  was  David's  Shepherd  Psalm. 
Nearby  that  sacred  place  the  Gentile  found 


A    PILGRIM    JEW 


2? 


His  home,  and  lived  and  died  a  ripened  man. 
The  Pilgrim  Jew  pursued  his  weary  way, 
Long  miles  to  meet  the  test  of  all  his  life  ; 
The  self-same  test  that  many  mighty  kings 
Stood  not,  but,  failing,  slipped  from  manhood's 

tree, 
And  fell  as  autumn  leaves  in  pelting  rain  ; 
A  Gentile  maid  enamored  with  the  youth, 
And,  passion-blind,  would  lure  his  heart  with  love; 
She  hunted  him  both  night  and  day  as  men 
In  heated  chase  pursue  the  fleeing  hart ; 
At  last  alone  she  found  him  wrapped  in  thought, 
By  lone  sequestered  brook  where  tangled  vines 
Threw  shade,  and  where  the  thrushes  came  to  sing ; 
Upon  him  unawares  she  stole,  and  wreathed 
His  neck  with  rounded  arms;  as  lips  pressed  lips, 
And  soul  to  soul  leaped  swift  as  flame  to  flame  ; 


24  A    PILGRIM    JEW 

Her  white  breast  heaved  as  silver  sea  when  kissed 
By  wooing  moon,  and  tides  embrace  the  beach  ; 
Her  breath  smote  on  his  swarthy  cheek  a  flame 
That  swept  his  soul  as  fire-storms  sweep  the 

plain ;  — 
He  felt  his  spirit  swooning  into  bliss, 
But  like  the  rush  of  winds  through  mountain  gorge, 
His  mighty  manhood's  strength  came  back  to  him, 
When  like  the  whipped  and  tethered  hound,  passion 
Slept,  and  he  stood  prince  and  proud  victor ; 
His  way  he  went,  from  her's  afar,  her  life 
Pursuing  him,  as  rill  the  hillside's  slope; 
Within  the  city's  edge  their  ways  diverged, 
And  thus  he  slipped  the  luring  leash  of  love. 


A    PILGRIM    JEW  2£ 

X 

The  Pilgrim  learned  to  love  an  aged  Jew 
Who  had  his  home  within  the  city's  bound, 
Wherein  he,  too,  had  found  abiding  place  ; 
The  aged  Jew  loved  also  this  strong  youth 
And  asked  him  to  his  home  to  be  his  guest ; 
Love  has  a  way  to  reach  love's  happy  end, 
Which  none  but  love  and  lovers  understand. 
The  aged  sire  and  youth  did  slowly  walk 
Till,  halting  near  an  open  gate,  he  bade 
His  friend  warm  welcome  to  his  cheerful  home ; 
In  waiting  still  the  loving  father  stood, 
For  that  accustomed  greeting  at  the  gate ; 
His  daughter  came,  whose  every  pose  was  grace, 
Came  tripping  down  the  lawn  to  meet  her  sire  ; 
Her  hair  like  tangled  threads  from  night's  black  robe 
Curled  round  her  soft  and  snowy  swan-like  neck ; 
Her  cheeks  were  kissed  to  crimson  by  the  dawn, 


26  A    PILGRIM    JEW 


Her  lips  were  full  and  round  and  red  as  wine, 
Upon  her  maiden  soul  hung  virtue's  robe, 
Pinned  fast  by  golden  rays  flung  down  from  heav'n; 
Her  lyric  laugh  like  song  of  nightingale 
In  dulcet  ripples  rolled  upon  the  air, 
And  from  her  heart  a  mystic  arrow  flew, 
That  swiftly  smote  the  youth  to  his  life's  core; 
Yet  strange  to  say  no  blood  left  that  sweet  wound, 
But  issued  thence  instead,  a  man's  whole  soul ; 
And  like  two  honey  drops  in  hearts  of  blooms, 
Two  lover's  lives  were  evermore  made  one ; 
On  speedy  wings  flew  by  the  golden  days, 
But  even  time  is  slow  when  eager  love 
Must  wait  love's  blissful  consummation  seal ; 
The  songful  soul  of  her  he  fondly  loved 
Broke  out  in  lays  of  love  at  even  time, 
And  often  with  the  waking  birds,  she  sang 
With  lute-like  voice  this  song  at  dewy  dawn :  — 


A    PILGRIM    JEW  27 


"  When  crimson-lipped  morning  breaths  love  to 

the  flowers, 
And  the  Goddess  of  Dawn  rides  forth  from  her 

bowers ; 
When  Aurora  the  sleeping  earth  wakes  with  a  kiss, 
Enrobing  her  verdure  in  billows  of  bliss ; 
When  chalices  fragrant  in  garden  or  hedge, 
Are  laden  with  dew  till  it  slips  o'er  the  edge, 
And  sprinkles  the  grasses  in  baptism  sweet, 
A  chrism  so  pure  that  for  angels  'twere  meet. 


28  A   PILGRIM  JEW 

"  When  blossom-cups  brimming  with  dew- 
waters,  spill 
Their  over-full  fragrance  on  valley  or  hill, 
When  soft-singing  birds  in  the  musical  dawn 
Proclaim  to  the  earth  that  her  darkness  is  gone  ; 
When  nature  enswathed  in  a  sweet  mellow  light, 
Spreads  out  to  my  vision  such  ravishing  sight  — 
Then  I  know  that  bleak  winter  has  fled  long  ago 
To  his  frost-draped  house  in  the  ice  and  the 
snow/' 


A   PILGRIM    JEW 


29 


XI 

One  long  year  passed,  and  wedding  bells  out- 
flung 
Their  silv'ry  notes  across  the  vernal  lea, 
While  side  by  side  with  firm  clasped  lover's  hands 
Love's  vows  were  sealed  beneath  the  orange 

bloom, 
And  Hymen's  Hymn  glad  youthful  voices  sang. 


jo  A    PILGRIM   JEW 

XII 

A  sweet  twelve-month  and  more,  these  hearts 

were  wed, 
And  growing  love  had  blossomed  into  bliss ; 
An  earthly  Paradise  their  home  had  seemed,  — 
A  fitting  place  forever  to  abide ; 
But  life  and  love  do  ever  richer  grow 
When  heaven's  law  is  followed  to  the  end : 
One  silent  night  when  all  the  world  reposed 
From  care  and  toil,  regaining  much  spent  strength, 
In  slumbrous  calm,  to  meet  the  morrow's  task, 
The  stillness  of  that  hopeful  home  was  broke 
By  infant  voice  that  filled  and  gently  thrilled 
Two  youthful  hearts  with  sweeter  sounds  than 

strains 
Of  lyre  or  lute  could  ever  be  to  man  ; 
No  printed  page  records  the  word  the  babe 


A    PILGRIM    JEW 


* 


Outbreathed  that  night  with  eloquence  of  life, 

But  wedded  love  did  all  its  meaning  feel ; 

Soft  infant  hands  erased  the  sense  of  pain, 

And  time  seemed  merged  in  one  resplendent  day ; 

But  fled  the  fleeting  years  to  half  a  score ; 

And  father's  heart  and  mother's  heart  were  wove 

Entire  in  that  of  their  glad,  growing  boy  ; 

The  night  was  long  to  them  because  it  hid 

His  face ;  the  morning  seemed  for  long  to  wait 

Behind  the  hills  to  halt  his  waking  smile ; 

Nor  half  so  sweet  was  carrolling  of  birds, 

As  was  the  mellow  music  of  his  voice, 

And  all  that  gave  him  joy,  to  them  was  joy, 

And  all  that  gave  him  pain,  to  them  was  pain  ; 

With  sacred  bands  of  love  the  three  were  bound, 

And  who  would  dare  to  break  the  tender  tie  ? 

Envenomed  winds  from  some  bad  land  blew  death 


32  A    PILGRIM  JEW 

Thro'  lattice  work  across  his  youthful  veins ; 

And  like  siroccos  o'er  Sicilian  sands 

That  blow  their  blist'ring  breath  till  bright  leaves 

fade, 
Or  blossoms  droop  beneath  their  dreadful  heat, 
Thus  faded  fast,  and  drooped,  this  human  bloom, 
Beneath  the  dreadful  fever's  burning  blast ; 
As  sinks  the  red  sun  in  the  sea  to  hide 
Away  from  gaze  of  men,  the  stainless  soul 
Of  that  pure  boy  in  silence  took  his  leave 
And  left  two  bleeding  hearts  engulfed  with  woe. 


A    PILGRIM    JEW 33 

XIII 

Full  soon  the  winged  years  to  fifty  flew, 

But  both  were  leal,  and  these  were  golden  years ; 

What  God  by  love  had  joined  in  one,  no  man 

By  hate  or  lust  or  legal  trick  could  part ; 

All  honor  give  the  Jew  for  loyal  love  — 

For  teaching  Gentiles  'round  the  rolling  earth, 

The  stainless  sanctity  of  human  homes. 


?4   A    PILGRIM    JEW 

XIV 

Once  more  as  in  the  days  of  yore  they  stand 
At  Hymen's  altar  and  renew  their  vows, — 
The  ever  holy  troth  of  wedded  love  ; 
Young  men  and  maidens  sang  for  them  this  song, 
Beneath  the  fragrant  boughs  of  evergreen :  — 

"The  flowers  of  love  for  fifty  years 

Have  bloomed  for  us  together, 
'Mid  songs  and  sighs,  'mid  smiles  and  tears 

In  storms  and  sunny  weather ; 

Nor  tempest  nor  shadow  nor  sorrow  nor  pain 
Can  sever  love's  loyal  link  in  twain  :  — 
The  sun  may  fade  and  the  stars  may  fall, 
But  our  love  will  outlast  them  all  — 
We  are  sweethearts  forever. 


A    PILGRIM    JEW  ^ 

Fifty  years  have  frosted  our  hair, 

Since  we  were  joined  together ; 
Time's  plow  has  cut  the  furrows  of  care, 

But  could  not  break  love's  tether. 
At  bridal  altar  so  long  ago, 
I  held  her  hand  as  pure  as  snow  ;  — 
Other  loves  have  chilled  and  died, 
With  heartless  groom  or  faithless  bride, 
But  ours  abides  forever." 


36  A    PILGRIM   JEW 


XV 

The  months  flew  by  and  brought  the  dismal  day, 

When  she  on  whom  this  faithful  man  bestowed 

His  life  so  far  away  in  youthful  years, 

Must  shift  the  fleshly  robe,  and  then  depart ; 

On  pinions  swift  the  spirit  faster  fled 

Than  beam  of  sun,  and  this  was  her  last  word :  — 

"A  thick'ning  mist  my  vision  dims,  and  shuts 

The  light  of  morning  out  with  night's  deep  shade ; 

Sweet  faces  dear  to  me  do  now  escape 

My  view  ;  —  I  am  alone,  nay,  nay, —  behold, 

Some  One  is  with  me  still ;  and  tho'  I  die, 

I  know  I  live  ;  tho'  pulses  cease,  my  soul 

Breathes  finer  air  than  e'er  on  earth  it  knew ; 

I  find  my  spirit  far  afield  in  realms 

Where  sight  fails  not,  nor  shadows  ever  fall ; 

Untrammeled  now,  my  soul  a  freedom  feels 


A    PILGRIM    JEW  37 

Beyond  my  fondest  hope,  or  sweetest  dream  ; 
If  this  be  death,  then  what,  my  raptured  soul, 
Is  life :    This  still  is  life,  and  death  the  key 
To  richer  life,  and  heaven's  high  emprise  ; 
Far  vaster  than  the  ocean's  bound  doth  swell 
Within  my  soul  life's  solemn,  soundless  sea  ; 
'Tis  not  the  flow  of  passion's  rising  tide, 
Nor  yet  of  full,  and  strong  impulse  of  life, 
But  consciousness  of  love  so  vast,  and  strength, 
That  one,  to  compass  it,  an  age  must  grow. 
The  infinite  doth  circumscribed  appear, 
When  on  the  finite  over-long  men  gaze ; 
Horizons  mark  the  bounds  of  mortal  sight, 
But  lines  like  these  ne'er  fixed  the  ken  of  souls ; 
Life  must  defeat  the  tyrant  Death,  and  wrench 
The  potent  scepter  from  his  icy  hand  ; 


}8 A    PILGRIM   JEW 

It  will  be  so  some  day  when  he  that  hath 
The  power  of  death  shall  fail  and  shall  be  slain 
By  Prince  of  Life  whose  might  shall  conquer  him. 
A  corn  of  wheat  falls  on  the  ground  and  dies, 
But  from  death's  sleep  it  wakes  with  fairer  form, 
And  more  abundant  life  than  it  had  known  ; 
Thus  must  it  be  that  each  true  life,  in  form 
Renewed,  shall  still  live  on  despite  the  shock 
And  chill  of  death  —  shall  live,  and  ne'er  shall  die. 
And  thus  the  night  of  doubt  away  hath  flown 
Before  the  rising  day  of  faith's  bright  hope ; 
Against  the  front  of  dark  despair  and  death, 
This  "new  life  hurls  its  great  and  growing  might,— 
Nor  can  it  be  that  death  ends  all,  but  He 
Who  all  things  did  begin  shall  end  all  death." 


A    PILGRIM    JEW 39 

XVI 

Between  two  walls  of  bloom  they  lowered  her 
To  sweet  repose  within  the  hill's  embrace  — 
A  grassy  hill  that  slopes  to  meet  the  dawn  ; 
The  aged  Pilgrim's  heart  went  down  with  her 
Upon  that  fragrant  couch  of  summer  bloom  ;  — 
The  sweet  apocalypse  of  love  once  broke 
Upon  the  soul  can  never  wholly  fade. 


40  A    PILGRIM    JEW 

XVII 

Again  one  balmy  morn  in  June  I  stood 

Upon  the  hill ;  the  Pilgrim  at  my  side 

Was  mute,  and  thro'  the  dimming  tears  he  gazed 

Upon  a  grass-grown  grave  and  heaved  a  sigh 

From  deeps  of  love  as  fresh  and  true  as  joys 

He  knew  in  manhood's  bright  and  happy  morn  ; 

The  sleeper  there  beneath  the  grass  had  been 

Full  fifty  years  ago  the  mourner's  bride ; 

The  lover's  holy  reverie  was  broke 

By  happy  song :  —  a  singing  lark  had  perched 

Near  by  upon  a  bush  that  drooped  with  bloom, 

And  with  his  music  filled  the  home  of  death  ;  — 

He  seemed  to  sing  of  vernal  vales  where  trees 

Of  life  do  bloom,  where  death  comes  not,  nor  foe 

To  mar  the  bliss  of  reunited  love  ; 

The  sweet- voiced  bird,  its  errand  done,  took  wing 


A    PILGRIM    JEW  41 


And  flew' away,  but  with  the  wrinkled  man, 
Grief-worn,  the  deathless  song  of  hope  abides. 


42  A   PILGRIM    JEW      

XVIII 

Then  twilight  came  with  soothing  sleep,  and 

sealed 
With  noiseless  touch  the  wayworn  trav'ler's  eyes; 
An  angel's  fingers  loosed  the  silver  chord, 
When  lo,  the  alabaster  box  was  broke, 
And  issued  forth  the  Pilgrim's  fragrant  soul ; 
Like  scented  cloud  of  incence  from  the  fires 
Of  holy  altars  rose  that  life  to  God, 
And  swinging  wide,  the  glowing  gates  of  morn 
Admitted  him  to  love's  unfading  day, 
And  crowning  bliss  of  great  Jehovah's  smile. 


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